Is There a Flip Flop Bubble?

[BobTheBuilder]

I got my ATJournal yesterday and saw that there were 125 reported completed flip flop hikes last year. I guess that means the AT's efforts to promote that model are working, but it got me wondering - Is there a flip flop bubble? I'm starting a nobo section at Boiling Springs next week and am curious if I will be in the middle of it. Does anybody know?

[Starchild]

Flip Flop used to mean a NoBo hiker looks like they are not going to make it to Katahdin before it closes or that snow may hinder travel in the larger peaks and the hiker needed to get thru them early, so they 'flip' to Katahdin and finish their thru SoBo to the point they got off trail. As such there was a small Flip Flop 'bubble' if Mother Nature conspired to encourage flipping that would collide with the NoBo bubble.


But that has changed and Flip Flop now is a term meaning any other way then a NoBo or SoBo, and IIRC ATC has renamed it as alternative thru hiking or some such term to indicate a more diverse choice of routes. As such the current 'flip-floppers' are a diversified group.

[capehiker]

You'll be close to the bubble. The kick off was this past weekend and Boiling Springs is a little over 100 miles away from HF so it's possible you'll see some thru hikers.

[chknfngrs]

Was out in Maryland this weekend and saw quite a few flippers, and a few thru hikers

[BobTheBuilder]

Thank for the feedback.

[Starchild]

Rereading and reposting, no need to strive to be a part of a flip flop bubble, once you get your trail legs you will be pretty much in the NoBo bubble .

[Kaptainkriz]

saw the floppers depart on Sunday. There were a hand-full of them, as well as some that were leaving Monday. Also saw at least 4 throughs "play through". So, I'd say it's a tiny bubble.

[map man]

saw the floppers depart on Sunday. There were a hand-full of them, as well as some that were leaving Monday. Also saw at least 4 throughs "play through". So, I'd say it's a tiny bubble.

If it's a "tiny bubble" is Don Ho among them?

But seriously, the number of people starting around the mid-point around this time of year is not large and they don't all start at the same place or same time. You will not encounter a crowd of them.

[Kaptainkriz]

LoL, new trail name for a flopper. #DonHo

If it's a "tiny bubble" is Don Ho among them?

[ARambler]

The ATC lists about 10 optional hikes, with the Harpers Ferry nobo just one of them. The options probably have a 30 day window for each one. So, if you don't see a hiker cut inn half, they are probably not a representative bubble flip flopper.

The ATC fails to mention two of my favorite logistical flips. I have taken the bus in or out of Marion, VA a few times. There are also lots of busses a day from Delaware Water Gap to NYC and I took one to Philadelphia a decade ago.